Need Real Help About Adjusting Trailer Bunks??

[Casslaw]

Hello everyone, and thanks in advance for any help you can give me. I got my boat June 1st and I believe the boat has always been trailered like this. I think it looks ALL wrong! My boat always loads slightly to the left, both front and back. We push it over an inch or two and all is good. The trailer is straight and tows great!

The back of the boat rides on the roller and the boat is WAY too close to the frame for my liking!

It looks like the bunks have never been moved and here is my concern...I know the answer is to raise the bunks BUT that will also raise my bow eye which as of now lines up perfectly. Any ideas??

I don’t power load, I back the bunks into the water then pull forward to where I crank the last foot or so by hand, and it’s always a little left.

Again, thank you, Chris.

[rockytop]

The very back roller should not touch the boat,it starts centering the keel and the bunks hold all the weight.but I agree on the trailer crossmember is too close to the keel of the boat. Look at your winch and see if you can raise it. Then raise the bunks but leave the rear roller where it is.

[Casslaw]

The winch and roller are together, linked by the galvanized frame they bolt to and what’s worse is that the winch/ bow Roller are as high as they can go.

Im gonna have to raise the back more than the front to get the front eyelet to its original position but I have no way of figuring this out other than trial and error...there has to be a better way than unloading, adjusting, loading, etc...

[Marshfly]

From that picture you have of the bow roller it looks like the winch frame can go up about a foot on the stand. I don't understand how you say the roller can't be raised. We mean move it vertically, not forward.

[ncredbear]

Isn't the winch held on with a u-bolt that can be loosened and then the winch slid up the vertical post? How is the bracket that holds the bow roller attached to that vertical post? Is it welded or bolted on?
But yes it appears you need to raise the bunks, and it sounds like the left slightly more than the right.

[Marshfly]

I can't tell because the pics are small but it looks as if your bunks are inside of the running strakes rather than outside. Bunks should be along side the vertical portion of a running strake to ensure consistent loading. You have to capture a vertical surface on the hull in order to consistently load a boat. I'd raise the bunks slightly but also add bunks towards the rear of the trailer on either side of the pad to keep the hull aligned side to side.

[Casslaw]

Yeah the bow eye and the winch look like they can go up further but there is a bracket built onto the trailer that limits how much that unit can slide and it’s topped out. When I put the Stoltz roller on it I lowered the front unit to install it and since the roller was larger it required me to raise it as high as possible. I’ll get a better picture to show this.

I dont like how the bunks arent riding on the strakes either but i dont it I don’t think I have that much adjustment. I’ll either add rear bunks or ....not sure. I don’t like the back of the boat staying on the roller or being so close to the frame.

Just the angle of one bunk could be the reason it always foes left. I’m surprised the original owner left it like this, he took such good care of the boat.

Thanks for the ideas everyone

[Dave A]

Looks like there's only 2 bunks should be 4. Is that the right trailer for that boat ?

[Casslaw]

Whether or not it’s the right trailer I know it’s the one that came with the boat from Triton in 2006 and I’m guessing it’s been like this since new. I’ve looked at each bracket and a wrench hasn’t touched anything on the trailer for a long time with the exception of me swapping on the Fulton winch and Stoltz Bow Roller.

The original owner (I bought the boat June 1, 2018) kept every receipt for everything! He was meticulous and took care of the boat which is why I bought it. The motor only had 211 hours on it for Pete’s sake!

Im thinking I can move the bunks inward so they will follow the closest step in the hull, I’d need to move each one about 2.5-3” closer to center, but then I’m wondering if I will need to add 2 smaller outer bunks....such a simple thing is opening a can of worms!

[haveme1]

Looks like there's only 2 bunks should be 4. Is that the right trailer for that boat ?

Agreed, my single axle looks like the op's. I have 2 center long 14' then 2 side 8'

[Bill Reynolds]

You only need about 4” or so. I would level the trailer and raise the boat off the bunks with bottle jacks and 2X4 strips. Once it is raised and level, raise the bunks to touch the hull and re-secure. Then I would figure out how to adjust the bow roller, may require some drilling and grinding, but should be a reasonable project. Once this is done, I would add two more bunks if the Hull shape is compatible.
This may sound harder than it is. I had to do this to an old trailer, but used come-along’s and suspended the boat from garage rafters. Didn’t figure you had that option.

[Casslaw]

Thanks Bill, no I don’t have the garage rafter option and I’m pretty terrified of jacking the boat up! I do have the equipment, my brother has an auto repair shop so all it would take is some time...and his space!

Im gathering the brackets and 4’ bunks I’m gonna need. If I’m gonna do it I’m gonna do it right so I’ll recarpet the bunks while I’m doing this.

Thanks everyone, can’t really believe the boat was delivered like this but I’ll get it fixed correctly. I was wondering if most aluminum boats only had two 8’ bunks, guess now I know! Again, thanks everyone.

[Bill Reynolds]

Something to consider - Since you don’t power load, you may consider placing the new 4’ bunks with the 2” section against the boat hull instead of the 4”. There will be less friction while loading and there are commercial brackets available that make this an easy install.

[Marshfly]

The only boats I’ve seen with vertical bunks are heavy offshore boats and then they are placed directly under the stringers. I would not use vertical bunks on an aluminum boat due to the possibility of the aluminum bending around the small surface area.

[haveme1]

Maeshfly is from the place to see aluminum boats. I'd sure discuss this with him.

[Marshfly]

This is the right way to set up a trailer for a modified v aluminum hull.
This pic is straight from the Xpress website. They manufacture their own trailer for their boats.